Letter-box



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G. E. SIBBIWER'V A LETTER B0X.

HIIIIJUIII 'UNITED STATES. j

lAfrEiwnr OFFIQE.

GEORGE E. SIEBLEROF DAYTON, OHIO.

LETTER-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming" part of Letters Patent No. 509,254, datedNovember 21, 18.93.

Applicationiiled December 17l 1892. Serial No. 455,438- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. SIEBLER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Dayton, in the countyof Montgomery and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LetterBoxes; and Ivdo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled inA theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in street door letter-boxes, andthe object is to provide an improved construction of same whereby Isecure superior advantages with respect to economy, simplicity, andefiiciency in operation.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts, hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved letter box, the same being shown open. Fig. 2 is a centralcross sectional view of the same. `Fig. 3

is a similar View, taken near one end of the box. Fig. 4 is a frontView, the door or cover being removed; and Fig. 5 is a detail view. Fig.6 is a perspective view of the rectangular plate or door, looking fromthe inside. Fig. 7 is a central cross sectional view of the box, showinga letter inserted therein and the door closed.

In the said drawings the reference numeral 1 designates a rectangularbox constituting the letter receptacle open at the front, and

formed at the back at or near the center thereof with an outwardlyprojecting screw-thread` ed boss 2, adapted to receive a nut 4 having arecess 4a in its outer end. This box is secured to the outside of a doorby means of .the boss 2 and nut 4, the boss projecting through anaperture inthe door and extending a short distance beyond the inner sidethereof so as to receive the nut. Journaled in bearings 5 secured to thebox near the upper side thereof, is an oscillatory shaft 6, provided atone end with an inwardly projecting hooked arm 7. The other end of theshaft is located in an inwardly extending sleeve 8, passing through anaperture in the side wall of the box and flush therewith on the outerside.

The end of this shaft is adapted to engage with a key orv otherinstrument inserted into the sleeve from the outside whereby the hingedor pivoted cover or door can be unlocked from Vthe outside, ashereinafter de-l scribed. The shaft 6 at or near its center is providedwith a downwardly projecting arm 9, having its end bent at a right angleand passing through a central aperture inthe boss 2 and nut 4, beingprovided at its end with a button 10, adapted to be seated in the recess4a of the nut 4. The shaft ymay also be provided with arms 12, ifdesired.

The numeral 13 denotes a rectangular plate, slightly smaller than theopening in the box, and at each end is provided withl an inwardlyvprojecting ear 14, by whichl it is pivoted to the ends of the box. Ateneof its upper corners the door or lid is provided With an inwardlyprojecting lug 15, having an aperture or hole therein with which thehooked arm 7, is adapted to engage. It will be noted that the said armis beveled upon its inner upper end, andthe lug 15 formed with acorresponding bevel, so that they will ride past eachother.

Secured to the inner side of the box is a spring 1'6`,the upper end ofwhich is connected with the shaft 6. The object of this spring is tothrow the arm 9 outward when the door is opened. V'The numeral 17,designates a spring secured to the vinner side of the back of thebox,the free end of which abuts against the lug` 14. The object of thisspring is to aid in closing the door. Secured to the inner side of therectangular plate or door are two downwardly extending spring arms 21,one at each side of arm 9.

The door or lid on its outer side is provided with a supplemental cover18, bent downwardly at its upper andinuer sides, the edges of which aresecured to the lid. A space 19 is thus formed for the reception ofpapers, books, dro. The supplemental cover is provided with afinger-hold 20. n

The operation of the device is as follows: Thebox is secured to a doorby means of the boss 2, and nut 4. To deposit a letter the door or lidis opened by pushing on the finger-hold, and the letter 23 is insertedin IOO the box between the arms 9 and 12, and the spring arms 2l. By nowclosing the door or lid the spring arms 21 will press the letter upon oragainst t-he arms 12 and 9, causing them to be pressed inward and thebutton be forced out of its seat. This will cause the shaft 6, to berotated so that as the door closes the catch 7, will engage with the lug15, on the door and thus lock the latter. To unlock the door the button10, is pressed, actuating bent arm 9 which owing to the resiliency ofthe spring arms 2l, will be forced outwardly and rotating shaft 6, so asto release the hooked arm from engagement with the lug 15 and allow thedoor to be opened; It will thus be seen that the button serves 1 twopurposes, viz'., to unlock the door as just described, and to indicatethat there is mail in the box, as when there are no letters therein itwill lie in the recess in the nut and not project outward from the same.It will also be noted that the door is locked only when there is mail inthe box, as when there is no Inail therein, the bent arms 9 will passbetween the spring arms 2l, when the door is closed, so that the shaft6, will not be actuated and the catch 7, will consequently ride past lug15, without engaging therewith, so that the door will not be locked.

My device may be used also as a delivery box, that is to say, lettersmay be placed therein to be taken up by the carrier for transmission tothe post-office. In this case the carrier is provided With a key whichcan be inserted in the sleeve 8, so as to engage with the end of shaft6, whereby it may be turned to unlock the door.

The arms 12 secured to shaft 6 are for the purpose of supporting theletters mailed in the box, but they may be dispensed with if desired.

From the above it will be seen that I provide a letter-box for streetdoors in which dust, dirt, and rain are eectually excluded and which isalso reasonably secure from opening by unauthorized persons.

The object of the supplemental cover is to provide a receptacle in whichpapers and other matter of small value may be inserted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a letter boxthe combination with the letter receptacle having ascrew-threaded bosswith an aperture therein, a nut engaging with said boss and providedwith a recess, a spring actuated oscillatory shaft journaled in bearingsin the letter receptacle, the inwardly extending sleeve in which one endof the shaft is located, the hooked arms at 4the other end of the shaft,the bent arm secured to said shaft and projecting through the boss andnut and the button secured to said arm, of the hinged or pivoted lid orcover having a lug with a recess adapted to engage with the hooked arm,and the springs ysecured to the lid or door, substantially as described.

2. In a letter box for street and other doors, the combination with thebox constituting the letter receptacle, of the oscillatory shaft havinga bent arm projecting through the back of the box, the hooked arm orcatch carried by said shaft, the hinged door having a lug with anaperture therein with which said catch is adapted to engage, and thespring arms secured to said door, at each side of said bent arm,substantially as described.

In a letter box, the combination with the letter receptacle havingascrew threaded boss with an aperture therein, a nut provided with arecess, adapted to engage with the boss, a spring actuated oscillatoryshaft located in said letter receptacle and provided with a bent armpassing through said boss and nut and having a button, and the hookedarm or catch at one end of said shaft, of the pivoted door having a lugwith an aperture therein with which said catch engages, and the springarms secured to the inner side of said door, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. SIEBLER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE B. LEWIS, ALBERT R. TIFFANY.

